Byron sloper



(No Modl.)

' B. SLOPBR'.

Hydrocarbon Furnace. No. 236,0Q 8. A Patented Dec. 28, |880.

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UNirED STATES RYRON sLOrER, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNOR OE ONE-HALE To WALTER M. JACKSON, OE PROVIDENCE, R. I.

HYD ROCARBON-FU RNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,098, dated December 28, 1880. Application filed November 16, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON SLOPER, citizen ot' the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of vNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in hydrocarbon-furnacesf. c., in the application of liquid fuel in conjunction with decomposed steam for the production of heat, and in furnaces forv carrying such improvezo ments into effect.

Heretofore, in the employment of liquid fuel for the production of heat, it has been injected into a furnace by means of steam under pressure and there ignited, the steam serving simply as a medium for its introduction, the heat produced depending almost entirely upon the consumption of the liquid fuel. When thus applied, the carbon of the fuel, being simply hurried by'unitin g with the atmospheric air in 3o a cold state carried into the furnace by the natural draft, produces a white flame of comparatively small heating capacity', and the steam passes olf mostly undecomposed, and its valuable gaseous constituents are not utilized. 3 5 l I have discovered by practical experience an improved method in which the gaseous constituents of the steam can be utilized by decomposing the steam in the furnace and burning the resultant gases in conjunction with 4o the liquid fuel, which gases consist principally of pure hydrogen and carbonio oxide, the latter being an inammable gas generated by the union ofthe oxygen of the steam with the carbon ofthe fuel, and a valuable heating agent. To accomplish this result, however, I have found it absolutely necessary to modify the existing furnaces and to effect the decomposition by bringing the steam into contact with solid carbon at an intense White heat in 5o a decomposing-retort or combustion-chamber in the furnace, as will be more fully hereinafter specified. When the steam is thus decomposed and the resultant gases are burned in conjunction with the liquid fuel, I have found that the combustion of the liquid fuel is not only complete, as indicated by the blue flame developed, but that the heat is greatly intensified and the consumption of the liquid fuel largely reduced, owing to the instantaneous decomposition of the steam and the utilization 6o of the gases arising therefrom.

Throughout the present specification Irefer to solid fuel as a decomposing agent in contradistinction to the liquid fuel employed, and by such solid fuel I mean either coal, coke, charcoal, or other similar material, whether compact, such as coal, or porous, such as charcoal, coke, or the like.

My invention consists, first, in a process of burning liquid or liquefiable fuel in con- 7o junction with the gases resulting from the decomposition of steam by atomizing and injecting such fuel, together with a current of steam, upon a bed of solid fuel. heated to an intense white heat in a suitable decomposing-retort and combustion-chamber combined and located in a furnace, whereby the mutual decomposition of the steam and fuel into hydrogen and carbonio oxide is effected by the sucessive contact of the steam and the 8o liquid fuel upon the solid fuel in the said decomposing-retort and combustion chamber, and perfect combustion of the resultant gases is effected and the most intense heat is produced, as more fullyhereinafter specified; second, in an improved process of burning liquid or liqueliable fuel by atomizing and injecting the same by means of a current of steam upon a bed of solid fuel heatedto an intense White heat in a decomposing-retort and combustion- 9o chamber combined, and causing it, together with the gases generated, to reverberate over the solid fuel, so as to bring it and said gases into contact with successive fresh portions of the solid fuel, as more fully hereinafter specifled; third, in the process of burning liquid or liqueiiable fuel by atomizing and injecting the same by means of a current of steam upon a bed of solid fuel heated to an intense white heat in a decomposing-retort and combustion- Ioo chamber combined, in conjunction with a current of heated air, and causing the whole to reverberate over the solid fuel, so as to bring the gases developed into contact with successive fresh portions of the solid fuel, whereby the thorough decomposition of the steam and combustion ofthe liquid fuel is effected and an intense heat produced; fourth, in the combination, in a furnace for burning liquid or liqueiable fuel, of a decomposirig-retort and combustioircliainber combined, and having itstop provided with aseries ofdeiiecting or reverberating surfaces to detlect or reverberate the liquid fuel and steam and the gases arising therefrom and cause the Sallie to come successively into contact with fresh portions of the solid fuel; fifth, in the combination, in a furnace for burning liquid or liquetiable fuel, of a decomposing-retort and comlnistion-chamber adapted to hold solid fuel, and provided with a series of reverberating-surfaces on its roof, directly above the solid fuel, and a suitable. injector for introducing liquid fuel by means of a current of steam, whereby the gases generated therefrom are united and caused to hug77 the surface of the solid fuel, as more fully hereinafter specified; sixth, in the combination, in a furnace, of a decoinposiiig-retort and combustion-chamber adapted to contain solid fuel with an atomiZing-injector for injecting liquid or liquetiable fuel into said retort and chamber and suitable air-passages, whereby heated air may be intro duced into the retort and combustion-chamber in conjunction with the liquid fuel and steam and caused to reverberate over the solid fuel, for the purpose of completing` the combustion and intensifying the heat, as more fully hereinafter set forth; seventh, in the combination, with the improved furnace and the combined decomlmsing-retort and combusv tion-chain ber contained therein, of an injector, whereby atomized fuel, in conjunction with a current of steam, may be supplied to said rctort and combustionchamber, as more fully hereinafter specified.

In the drawings, Figure l illustrates a longitudiual vertical section of an improved furnace for carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section of the saine, and Fig. 3 a detached sectional view of my improved injector.

'lhe letter A indicates the furnace, which may be constructed of any suitable material, and which may be of the ordinary or any approved form for the different purposes for which the heat may be desired.

The letter B indicates a decomposing-retort and combustion-chamber located in the furnace. This may be constructed of any suitable refractory material. In the present instance it is represented as constructed of line tiles built up in the central part of the furnace at the forward end of the same, leaving the heating-spaces C C at each side.

The letter D indicates the door of the furnace, located directly in front of the decomposing-retort or combustion-chamber, so that the solid fuel (indicated by the letter E) can be conveniently charged into said chamber and retort.

The letter Findicates an atomizinginjector, by means of which the liquid fuel is introduced into the furnace. This injector is coustructed ot' cast metal, with the body in one piece, having the chambers Gand H, provided with suitable pipes I K, by means of which it can be connected with a suitable steam-generator and liquidfuel tank or sumily-chamber. The said injector is provided with detachable screw-nozzles L M, which have their walls in parallel conical planes when in place, and which can be adjusted by means of suitable washers interposed between them and their seats on the body of the injector, so as to vary the relative distance between their respective openings, in order to regulate the injection of the liquid fuel. One or more of said injectors may be employed, as occasion requires, and said injector or injectors are located justin front of the furnace, projecting through a suitable aperture or apertures in the same, in a line about on a level with the top of the inside of the decomposing-retort and couilnistion-chamber, so as to project the liquid fuel directly against the lirst of a series of detlecting or reverberating surfaces, and from such directly into the. body of coal or solid fuel. The injector or injectors are preferably swiveled to their connecting oil and steam pipes, so that they can be swung back or forth in order to be under ready control for the purpose of cleaning. The top of the decomposing-retort and combustionchamber is provided with a series of dellecting or reverberating surfaces, K', the object.of which is to deflect the injected fuel and the gases generated therefrom and the steam employed in injecting the fuel and cause the same to reverberatc through the combustion-chamber or retort and hug the solid fuel therein, so as to be thoroughly decomposed and consumed, and thereby create an intense heat. v

The letter L indicates the air-pipes entering at the rear or other portion of the furnace and extending through the hottest part of the furnace to the front of the decomposing-retort and combustion-chainber, where they terminate in such position that the draft caused by the injected steam .and liquid fuel will create an induced current of heated air, which will enter the decomposingretort and combustionchamber along with the injected fuel and steam, and thus assist in the combustion, the air in its passage through the pipes being heated to an intense heat, by which the combustion is further intensified.

The connections leading to the injector, as well as the air-pipes, are provided with suitable cocks and valve-, by means of which the supply of steam and liquid fuel and the air admitted may be controlled.

ln order to observe the interior of the decomposing-retort and chamber and the combustion taking place therein, one or more IOO IIO

IIS

bulls-eyes may be provided at any convenient point in the walls of the furnace for the purpose.

rIhe operation of my invention will be readily understood with the above description, and is as follows: The decomposing-retort and combustion-chamber is properly charged with the solid fuel, which forms an inclined bed therein, as indicated in the drawings. This fuel being ignited and brought to a white heat, the liquid fuel is introduced through the injector by means of steam under pressure.l lhe steam and liquid fuel in an atomized condition enter the front of the decomposing-retort or com bustion-chamber, being deliected directly upon the bed of the solid fuel, where the steam is instantaneously decomposed by the carbon of the liquid fuel and oxygen from the steam uniting by contact of the two with coals in the decomposing-retort or combustion-chan'lber at an intense heat, thus converting the steam completely into carbonio-oxide and hydrogen gases, the heated air at the same time serving to perfectly consume the gases, creating an intense heat. The gases resulting from the decomposed steam furnish the main and most important heating factor, thus largely reducing the consumption of the liquid fuel.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl

l. The process of burning liquid or liquefiable fuel in conjunction with the gases resulting from the decomposition of steam by atomizing and injecting such fuel, together with a current of steam, upon solid or porous fuel heated to an intense white heat in a suitable decomposing-retort and combustion-chamber, combined and located in a furnace, whereby the mutual decomposition of the steam and fuel into hydrogen and carbonic oxide is effected by the successive contact of the steam and the liquid fuel upon the solid fuel in the said retort and combustion-chamber, and perfect combustion of the resultant gases is effected, substantially as specilied.

2. The process of burning liquid or liquefiable fuel by atomizing and injecting the same by means of and together with a current of steam upon a bed of solid fuel heated to an intense white heat in a combined decomposingretort and combustion-chamber, and causing it, together with the gases generated, to,re- Verberate over the solid fuel, so as to bring it and said gases into contact with successive fresh portions of the solid fuel, whereby the thorough decomposition and combustion of the gases are effected and an intense heat is produced, substantially as specilied.

3. The process of burning liquid or liquefiable fuel by atomizing and injecting the same by means of a current of steam upon a bed of solid fuel heated to an intense whiteheat in a decomposing-retort and combustion-chamber combined, in conjunction with a current of heated air, and causing the whole to reverberate over the solid fuel, so as to bring the gases developed into contact with successive fresh portions of solid fuel, whereby the thorough decomposition of the steam and combustion of the liquid fuel are effected, substantially as specilied.

4. In combination with a furnace for burning liquid or liquetiable fuel, a combined decomposing retort and combustion chamber having its top provided with a series of deflectin g or reverberatin g surfaces to deflect and reverberate the liquid fuel and the steam onto the solid fuel successively, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a furnace for burning liquid or liqucable fuel, of a decomposin g-retort and com bustion-chamber combined, adapted to hold solid fuel and provided with a series of reverberating-surfaces on its roof, directly above the solid fuel, and a suitable injector for 'introducing liquid fuel by means of a current of steam, whereby the gases generated are united and caused to hug the surface of the solid fuel, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, in a furnace, of a combined decomposingretort and combustionchamber adapted to contain solid -fuel with an atomizing-injector for injecting liquid or liquefiable fuel into said chamber and suitable airpassages leading from the rear through the heated portion of the furnace, whereby heated air may be introduced into said decomposingretort and combustion-chamber in conjunction with the liquid fuel and the gases resulting from the decomposition of the same and the steam, for the purpose of completing the combustion and intensifying the heat, substantially as specilied.

7; In combination with the improved furnace and the combined decomposingretort and combustion -chamher contained therein, the injector, whereby atomized fuel, in conjunction with a current of steam, may be supplied to said retort and combustion-chamber, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BYRON SLOPER.

Witnesses:

VINTON GooMBs, J. J. GooMBs.

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